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Saturday, October 9, 2010

New Delhi, Oct 8: Amid furore over Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s recent speech in the assembly, Congress Friday maintained that the state is an integral part of India and asked all political parties to exercise caution while airing their views on the situation there.“Since 1947 till now Congress has always been firm that the state is an integral party of India and will remain so,” party spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters here.His comments came two days after Omar’s remarks that J-K had not merged with India but only acceded to it under certain conditions, which invited sharp reactions.Tewari, however, refrained from commenting specifically on Omar’s remarks.“I have not had the occasion to peruse his entire speech,” he said, adding sometimes there are extrapolations in what one actually says and in what context.When pointed out that senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi has flayed Omar saying his remarks give rise to several apprehensions and amounts to backing the separatists, Tewari said, “things have returned to normalcy in Ja